Crate-unloading device



Jan. 2l, 14930. F. D. CHAPMAN v 1,744,363

y CRATE UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Oct. 1'7. 1927 -2 Sheets-Sheet' 1` INVENTOR.

@5MM/Z4 R,

Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRATE-UNLOADING DEVICE Application led October 17, 1927. Serial No. 226,680.

This inventionrelates to improvements in crate unloading devices, and more particularly with relation to the canning industry.

In the canning industry,\ cans of food are handled in crate receptacles, termed baskets,

and considerable time is required in manually unloading said receptacles. This adds to the cost of manufacture and slows up the canning operation. Y

It is one of the objects of the present invention to overcome the before mentioned objectionable features and provide a crate unloading device which will automatically unload t-he cans from the crate.

A further object` of the invention is to provide a crate unloading device in which the crate is submerged in a liquid and the cans are oated therefrom and conveyed to a distant point.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate unloading device having means for sorting the cans, while being unloaded, so that only cans which are in the correct position to be elevated by the conveyor will be engagcd by the conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate unloading device having means regulating the flow of cans to the elevator to prevent more cans from being moved to elevating position than can be taken care of by the elevator. j

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate unloading device which is of simle construction, is strong and durable, and

1s well adapted for the purpose described.

' With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved crate unloading device and its parts and combinations as set'forth in the claims, and all equivaec lents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central sectional view taken through the tank portion of the device;

Fig. 2 is a top View thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fi 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 `tion provides for the proper positioning of the crate within the tank. The tank is also divided medially of its length by a transverse partition wall 9 which separates the crate inlet compartment 10 from the discharge end 11 65 of the tank. Said inlet portion is formed with an upper extension 12 havinfr a downwardly and outwardly extending perfporated partition 13. The discharge end ofthe tank is provided with an upright frame 14 upon which 70 is mounted upper and lower shafts 15 and 16. Pairs of sprocket wheels 17 and 18 are i mounted on the shafts and are connected together by spaced sprocket chains 19 and said chains are connected together by transverse bars 20 to form, in conjunction with the chains, the can carrier or elevator for removing the cans from the liquid in the tank. The carrier extends upwardly and rearwardly at an oblique angle, and a sheet metal support so or back 21 is positioned at the rear of and parallel to the upwardly moving portion 19 and against which the cans 22 rest androll While being carried upwardly by the carrier. An endless belt 28 extends transversely across 85 the machine adjacent the upper edge of the back support 21 to receive the cans elevated by the carrier. Side guard members 24 prevent the cans from rolling ofll the belt. Said transverse belt is mounted on rollers 25 and 90 said rollers have a gear and chain drive 26 connection with the shaft 15. A discharge belt 27 extends from a vposition adjacent the outer end portion of the transverse belt to receive cans from the transverse belt 23 and 95 convey them to a distant point for storage or packing. This belt is mounted on a pulley 28 which has a chain drive connection 29 with v the shaft 15. Side uard members 30 prevent the cans from acci entally falling olf the belt 27. Drive pulleys'31 are provided for connection with a source of motion.

To limit the feed of cans to the carrier or elevator, a revoluble paddle wheel 32 is journaled on the upper edge of the tank with the lower perforated paddles extendirrg below the surface of the liquid in the tank. Said paddle wheel has a gear and sprocket chain connection 33 with the shaft 15, and is geared to give the speed of feed desired.

A liquid pump 34 having an inlet pipe 35 connected to the discharge end of the tank, and an outlet pipe 36 connectedto the eX- tension portion of the tank, is provided to create a positive iiow of the liquid Within the tank from the inlet end to the discharge end of the tank. The pump is provided with pulleys 37 for connection with a source of power.

In operation, the tank is filled with preferably an alkaline liquid which may be formed of common soda ash and salt, so that the liquid will have a specific gravity of 1.32 which is suilicient to oat sealed cans of food. A crate of sealedcans of food is then lowered into the front rounded end portion of the tank and the pump is started to cause the liquid to iow rearwardly towards the ver# tical moving carrier.

l/Vhen the crate is submerged in the liquid, the cans of food, which are of lighter specific gravity than the li uid will rise to the surface of the liquid an will flow with the liquid rearwardly to a position to be engaged by the paddle wheel. As the paddle wheel is rotated in timed relation to the elevator carrier, the paddles will engage and move rearwardly a suflicient number of cans to provide i a steady and continuous predetermined supply to the carrier. The movement imparted to the cans by the paddles and the flow of the liquid will cause the cans to float into the path of movement of the carrier and will be elevated thereby. The transverse bars of the carrier are spaced apart a sulicient distance to receive the cans which are in horizontal position, but are too close together to receive the cans while said cans are in vertical position, ywith the result that if any of the cans, in any other position but horizontal are engaged by the transverse bars of the elevator, they will tilt away from the bars and into the liquid again, so that only cans which are correctly positioned will be elevated by the carrier. lVhen the cans being elevated by the carrier reach the upper edge of the back support .21, they will roll rearwardly from the carrier and onto the transverse belt 23, and

this belt will carry the cans endwi'se to and drop them in vertical position on the discharge belt 27 for further disposition. The perforated partition 13 serves to distribute the pressure of the. flow the width of the tank to cause the entire upper surface of the liquid to low rearwardly.

Fromthe foregoing description, it will be seen that the crate unloading device is of very simple construction and is well adapted for the purpose described.

1V hat I claim as my invention is 1. A crate unloading device, comprising a tank for holding a liquid, a portable receptacle for holding cans of food removably positioned within the tank with the cans of food immersed in the liquid, the upper edge of the container being a suiicient distance below the surface of the liquid to permit the cans to float over said edge, the liquid being of greater specific gravity than the cans of food to cause said cans to float to the surface of the liquid, means for removing the floating cans from the liquid in a continuous stream, means for causing the liquid and the cans to iow over the edge of the receptacle and towards the can removing means, and means controlling the number and speed of travel of the cans toward the removing means.

2. A crate unloading device, comprising a tank for holding a liquid, a portable receptacle of less height than the depth of the liquid for holding cans of food removably positioned within the tank with the cans of food immersed in the liquid, the liquid being of greater specific gravity than the cans of food to lcause said cans to float to the surface of the liquid, means for removing the floating cans from the liquid in a continuous stream, means for causing the liquid and the cans to flow over the edge of the receptacle and towards the can removing means, and a rotary member `for positively engaging the cans for controlling the number and the speed of travel of the cans toward the removing means.

3. A crate unloading device, comprising a tank for holding a liquid, a portable reccp- 1 tacle of less height than the depth of the liquid for holding cans of food removably positioned within the tank with the cans of food immersed in the liquid, the upper edge of the container being a sufficient distance below the surface of the liquid to permit the cans to float over said edge, the liquid being of greater specific gravity than the cans of food to cause said cans to float to the surface of the liquid, and a paddle wheel interposed between the can receptacle and the can remover and rotating in the direction of the flow of the liquid for positively engaging the cans for controlling the number and the speed of travel of the cans toward the can removing means.

4. A crate unloading devicebcomprising an elongated tank for .holding a liquid, a poi-table receptacle for holding cans of food removably positioned within the front end portionof the tank with the cans of food im mersed in the liquid, the liquid being of greater specific gravlty than the cans of food to Cause said Cans to float to the surface of the lll) Lauream,V

liquid, means for causing the upper portion ofthe liquid to How from the front to the rear end portion of the tank, a can elevator extending upwardly from the rear portion of the tank, a transverse partition extending medially of the length of the tank and below the surface of the liquid for guiding the cans towards the can elevator, a paddle Wheel positioned above the partition for controlling the number and the speed of travel of the cans towards the can elevator, and a can carrier extending transversely across the device for receiving cans from the can elevator to further move said cans.

5. A crate unloading device, comprising anl 'elongated4 tank for holding a liquid, a receptacle for holding cans of food removably positioned within the front end portion of the tank with the cans of food immersed in the liquid, the liquid being of greater specic gravity than the cans of food to cause said cans to float to the surface of the liquid, means for causing the upper portion of the liquid to flow from the front tothe rear end portion of the tank, a can elevator extending upwardly from the rear portion of the tank, a n

back support positioned adjacent the upwardly moving portion of the canelevator to support the cans being moved yby the elevator, said back support terminating above the surface of the liquid, a transverse partition extending medially of the length of the tank and below the surface of the liquid, a paddle wheel positioned above the partition for controlling the number and the speed of travel of the cans towards the can elevator, and a can carrier extending transverselyacross the device to the rear and adjacent the upper -edge of the back support for receiving cans from the can elevator to further move said cans.

6. Acrate unloading device, comprising an elongated tank for holding a liquid, a receptacle for holding cans of food removably positioned within the front end portion of the Vtank with the cans of food immersed in the liquid, the liquid being of i greater speciiic gravity than the cans of food to'cause said cans to float to the surface of the liquid, means for causing the upper portion of the liquid to flow from the front to they rear end portion of the tank, an endless can elevator extending upwardly and rearwardly from the rear end portion ofthe tank, a transverse partition eX- tending medially of the length ofthe tank and below the surface of the liquid, a paddle wheel positioned above the partition for controlling the number and the speed of travel of the cans toward the can elevator, a back support positioned adjacent the upwardly movable portion of the can elevator to support the cans being moved by the elevator, said back support terminating above the surface of the liquid, a can carrier extending transversely across the device to the rear and adj acent the upper edge of the back support for receiving cans from the can elevator to further move said cans, and a second can carrier positioned adjacent the outer end of the transverse can carrier and at an angle thereto and below the plane thereof for receiving the cans from the transverse carrierand further moving the same.

7. A crate unloading device, comprising a,

intersecting the conduit for circulating the upper portion of the liquid from the front to the rear portion of the tank to cause the cans to move over the edge of the receptacle, and means for causing the cans to move towards the removing means in predetermined timed relation.

8. A crate unloading device, comprising a tank for holding a liquid, a portable receptacle of less height' than the depth of the liquid for holding cans of food removably positioned Within the tank and immersed in the liquid, the liquid being of greater specific gravity than the cans of food to cause said cans to lloat to the surface of the liquid, a4

liquid conduit connected to the front and rear upper portion of the tank, a pump intersecting the conduit for circulating the upper portion of the liquid from the front to the rear portion of the tank and for moving the cans over the edge of the receptacle and to?` ward a perforated member extending across the tank adjacent the inlet opening of the conduit to the tank for spreading the flow of the liquidand means for removing the cans from the liquid.

9. A crate unloading device, ,comprising a tank for holding a liquid, `a receptacle for holding cans of `food 'positioned within the tank and immersed in the liquid, the liquid being of greater'specifc gravity than the cans of food to cause said cans to float to the surface, and means for engaging ,and removing the fioating cans from the'liquid only when said cans are in a horizontal axial position and for disengaging any cans which may be engaged but are not in said horizontal axial position.

10. A crate unloading device, comprising a tank for holding a liquid, a receptacle for holding cans of food positioned within the tank and immersed in the liquid, the liquid being of greater specific gravity than the cans of food to cause said cans to iioat to the surface, means for positively advancing the Heating cans in the liquid and exerting a tendeney to aline the cans in a horizontal axial position for removal, and means for engagmg and removing the iloating cans from the liquid only when said cans are in a horizontal axial osition and for disengaging any Cans Whic may be engaged but are not in said horizontal axial position.

In testimony whereof, I alix my signature.

FRANK D. CHAPMAN. 

